Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-19
The Decline of the Ora ma.

DlOil DOuClcuuit ldNoiS tic -NofH
.imerican RerieU with paper on this
subject, in which he brings Il strong
Indictment against the press for the
deterioration not only of the drama,
but of the arts. He tells us that no
standard play has been produced since
lS47, and that the immortal operas of
Verdi, Donizetti, etc, have given place
to the ephemeral productions OF Offen-
bach, Sullivan, etc. He ascribes to
the press the responsibility for the low
standard of public taste, and insists
that the drama has fallen in merit in
proportion as the press has risen in
value as Il commercial investment.
The charge is Il serious one, and whilst
We concede that the playwright-actor
advances plausible theory for
the deterioration of the drama, it
is very possible that there are
other and outside reasons that would,
in their contributory weight, be found
to figure quite as conspicuously in the
result as the increased commercial
value of the press. But, first, let us
see whether his DISSATISFACTION is
true-that no lasting plays have been
added to the drama within the past
generation. Modesty is virtue which
we admire; but we never suspected
that it was cardinal moral endow-
ment of Mr.. Boucicault. If there be
method in his modesty, We are about
to give him the benefit OF it by saying
that he himself by his works has re-
futed his assertion. Dion Boucicault
has written dozen plays since lS47
that possess the merit OF at least lon
gevity. Without going back to
the chef-d'0urre of his boyhood,
London assurance, written at
the age of seventeen,) we can
mention several of his pieces that
are AZ worthy of preservation in the
acting repertory of the stage as the
plays of Sheridan Knowles, DIR. Bird,
Lord Lytton Bulwer, Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, John Tobin, John Home, or
even of Thomas S. Sheridan. \ Gym
ically-inclined critic might answer that
it would not be saying much to assert
that any one, much less Boucicault,
had written as good plays as the best
of any of these authors We are not
now judging from the highest standard
from that lofty and unapproachable
altitude from which Shakespeare
wonderful productions look down upon
all the worlds dramatic contributions.
We take the era-which some consider
u splendid era of the English stage
from the time of Garrick to the time
of Forrest Mr.. Boucicault's WILLOW
COpse-although mainly borrowed
from the French-is not inferior
to the Lady Of Lyons; his
aTqh No Pogae is as full
of spirit and patriotic animation as
J'izzaro; and his Colleen Barn, Octo-
room and other productions will com
pare favorably, in ingenuity OF con-
struction, surprise of situation, sparkle
of dialogue, and adaptation of Ian
glage to character, with any of the
productions of the authors we have
named. This much in vindication of
Mr.. Boucicault's right to rank with the
dram attic authors Of the era preceding
lS47. But is his position sound, that
the commercial character OF the press
in later years has caused the decline
of the drama? He says that before
the newspaper became essentially Il
mercantile enterprise. the audiences
themselves determined the value of
plays and the merit OF actors
that since that time the man
ayers have addressed themselves
to that mercantile character in
the conduct OF newspapers, and
by paid puffery transformed the criti-
cisms of the press into a merchantable
rticle, thus forcing their meretricious
wares upon the dramatic market.
Hence professional meritin the actors
has given way to regulations made by
writers acting under the inspiration OF
The business department Of the news
papers. This implies that the
audiences have abdicated their afore-
time prerogative to sit in judgment
upon the merits of new play or of a
new actor. A great deal of this is
true. Men and women have been
forced into noteriety by illegitimate
puHery, and pieces have been adver-
tised into great attractions that
were nothing but what the Cockney
would call "beastly rot" But after
all, if these actors and these
pieces draw and please, is the
fault not with the public? Has
not the popular taste changed? Is
there nothing for serious thought in the
fact that a minstrel show will draw
when London Insurance is played by a
lneritorious company to empty